“Today’s Time Warner Cable earnings call revealed that its [TWCable TV] iPad app was downloaded 360,000 times during its first month of availability,” Darrell Etherington reports for GigaOM.
“Cablevision revealed that it saw 50,000 downloads in the first five days of app availability, and when contacted by GigaOM, Comcast shared that its XFINITY TV app has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times since its launch in November,” Etherington reports. “What’s the message? Cable subscribers are highly amenable to the idea of accessing content on their iPads.”
Etherington reports, “Maybe cable companies can use these numbers to convince content providers to go easier when it comes to license requirements. Time Warner Cable is putting more time and money behind the app, too. There are now 70 channels available, whereas the product launched with 30. The company also said it plans on updating the app with ongoing improvements, including two-way communication with smart TV devices, and the ability to act as a remote and program DVRs from a distance.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
Was in a bar last week, reading saved articles on my iPad 2 (Instapaper, highly recommended) and enjoying a glass of Scotch, when a buddy called me and told me about a show I might want to watch coming on TV in about 15 minutes. I thanked him, launched Xfinity, and set the show to record. Took all of 8 seconds. Was waiting for me when I got home.
As much as I fume over my Comcast bill, it was pretty sweet.
Sweet.
So far all my Cox cable app does is allow me to record shows and look at the guide.
I am unable to watch any shows on my iPad.
My Dish network app can do the same thing. and if i had a newer DVR… could actually stream it. dont have to be on my home WiFi either. can even do it over 3G. (it’s Slingbox, which has always been able to do this. Dish bought them i guess)
I keep forgetting to call Dish to see how much extortion, errr payment i need to pay to get a newer DVR.
Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. Create and account and set up the DVR online, and then you can access it from your iPad or iPhone anywhere in the world with a connection.
It was one of those times where I almost didn’t expect it to work, it was so easy 🙂
I have both the TWCable app and a Slingbox with app on my iPad. The TWCable app has a HD picture but only 59 channels so far, and only available over my LAN. The Slingbox app has a VGA picture but all my channels and available over 3G. If they could only combine the best of both.
the 922 from Dish can do HD streaming 🙂
“In order to watch standard-definition (640 by 480) video you’ll need an upload speed of at least .59Mbps. If you want to watch in 1080i HD, you’ll need at least 3Mbps”
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367800,00.asp
(disregard the “$30 app you need, and they reimburse you on the bill” part. Dish has their own app now for free)
easiest place i could find the details. Dish’s site… not so easy to find answers.
I just have to call for my pricing to upgrade. They wont give me any pricing over e-mail, chat etc.
Prob cause they want the salesman to instantly get me to purchase… lol.
I hear $200 if i qualify. up to $600ish if i dont… My 622 is great, but i see the “need” to upgrade 🙂
I dont watch that much TV, if i upgraded my DVR… i know i would, just cause i can watch it on the iPad anywhere 🙂
But they hate the cable service. CONcast has just finished conversion to digital only here and the service is awful, the new “improved” box (ugh) is atrocious, the remote looks like something designed by Micro$oft and the scaling of the different video formats is an abortion.
The compression on the video is ridiculous-even the HD channels.
The system is apparently Sisco- who should be ashamed of themselves. If Apple can get their sh*t together and enter this market they can own it.
Make that Cisco-I had a late night last night. Xfinity- my arse.
my Parents have Concast… I know what you mean about the Remote and user interface on the box. beyond bad..
Dang. All I have is the EyeTV app.
Works perfect……usually.
Had an EyeTV 500 that handles Clear QAM wonderfully. Now that everyone is digital, Concast has put all channels except broadcast behind the wall of encryption.
Come Monday, (I work a FT weekend job), I will be setting up an EyeTV HD with a blaster to control their damned shitty cable box. The stupid thing loses sound sync and stutters on audio- the only cure is a hard reset or a call to CONcast for a soft reset.
Xfinity sucks. This used to be a Time-Warner system and CONcast makes TW look good.
What they should include (I haven’t seen it) is a channel line up app.
Peel.
Works better than a channel line up.
You scroll to what you want to watch when and it shows you what is available and on what channels.
Want to watch a movie? It will tell you what movies are playing on what channels.
Same for sports, animation, family shows, documentaries, etc.
In the App Store. Worth a look
never used Peel.
I know the Concast and Dish apps, i have used, both show channel lineup. searchable etc.
Yeah, for those of us for whom Cable TV apps actually work…. The Time-Warner Cable App is yet to work for me, in my own home, in Columbus, OH. I only get a screen that says a time-warner cable approved device is required. Bullshit. Why does every other app I use at home work then?